A Cause to Die and a Reason to Live

“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)

This week is Holy Week. This week we focus on how Jesus gave his life. He died on the cross to rescue us from our sins. He took the punishment that was ours. And it is by his wounds that we are healed.

He died for you because you were worth it. Hebrews 12:2 describes the joy set before Jesus. He did what he did out of joy. There was pain. There was suffering. But it was done out of love. His love was greater than the agony. It was love that compelled him to offer himself as a sacrifice.

It is a picture of a well-lived life. Jesus told us he came that we may have abundant life. At the same time, he tells us to take up our crosses and follow him. These things would seem to contradict one another. We don’t associate an abundant life with struggle and strife. Yet, that is to what Jesus invites us.

To fully live you need to have something for which to die. Is there a cause or calling that would lead you to give all? Do you have a purpose that is bigger than yourself. That is where we discover a well-lived life. And Jesus himself gives us that something more for which to live.

Most of us tend to live for ourselves. We don’t live beyond making it through the day. We struggle because we are so focused on preserving our life. Something that in the end is impossible. We will all lose our lives in this world. But how will it be lost? Will we lose it while trying to hold on to it with desperation? Or will we lose it having given it our all?

Jesus is our reason to live for more. He gives us a reason to lose ourselves. When we lose our lives in him, we will ultimately find it. He is our cause to die (to ourselves) and our reason to live. In him, we die so that we might live.